NOTHING WITHOUT U

LàbóUr pàin

The day is a clear, shiny one.

The sun rays fall in perfect slants over Nu's plants on the balcony, giving them a fresh and bright look.

It's a relatively calm day, Zee out in his office and Sky back in the daycare.

Nu spends a lot of it napping on the couch. This is the time where mild contraction is a regular thing.

A dull ache at his lower back and pain that comes in waves, but goes away just as quickly.

So he isn't that worried.

He had seen the worst of it with sky.

Zee returns from work early and they cook together.

Feeding Sky isn't usually a grand affair but he too can get fussy about vegetables sometimes.

It's not until everyone in the house is sound asleep and the clock ticking in the living room is the only sound in the dark, silent space of the apartment when Nu feels a sharp jolt at his lower spine.

He waits with baited breath, and oh there it is again, but even sharper this time.

He's fully awake now and waiting to see what happens next.

The pain comes in a wave, a gut wrenching pain that racks through his body, starting from his waist down to his abdomen and a small, pained moan leaves his lips.

He extends a hand beside him, finding Zee's arm and squeezes at his bicep hard when another wave comes.

"Zee, Hia-"

No response.

Hia ,"

he croaks out in a raspy voice.

Zee turns around immediately, pushing up on his elbow to inspect Nu, his eyes blink fast to adjust in the dark

"It's starting, I thin- uh think."

"Baby, Nu- are you sure?"

He asks alarmed, touching Nu in the face.

Sleep vanishes from his system as he takes in his wife's state.

Nu nods his head in response, biting hardon his lip and Nu's eyes turn wide,

"My water just broke."

"Shit!"

Zee exclaims and then he is on his feet in a skillful jump from the bed, switching on the bedside lamp.

He helps Nu sit up against the headboard and goes to the closet, hastily grabbing a pair of jeans and shoving his legs in them simultaneously.

Phone on dial,

"Max…yeah.

Yes...hurry."

He helps Nu get out of his shorts and puts on a pair of loose sweats.

The pain increases in a steady pace.

It's surprising how fast it happens.

For his first time, Nu had labor pain for almost twelve hours.

The pain that started with a dull ache at his lower back gradually increased in the span of multiple hours to a point Nu couldn't lie still on his hospital bed.

But this time, it came all at once, so suddenly, he feels totally out of it.

They already had a bag ready for hospital any moment they needed to go in.